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DR-Z FTW

If you read my last post you’ll know that I am still getting used to my new-used 2006 DR-Z400SM.

Today was my second 23 mile commute into work in usual Boston traffic and the first time I hit reserve on a fuel tank that I had been tracking mileage. I hit reserve at 108 miles on the tripmeter, and eventually reached a convenient gas station at 123 miles, where I filled up with 2.06 gallons resulting in a calculated fuel economy of 59.28 MPG.

This figure is slightly overstated though, as the previous owner put on slightly smaller-than-stock profile tires (60s instead of 70s) making the speedometer read roughly 4% over actual speed. If we factor this in we get a “true” MPG of 57 in mixed fast highway, slow/urban, and spirited street and trail riding.

Not bad at all, considering the fun that I have on it and the intake and exhaust mods that both the previous owner and I have done. Fuel economy is not a deal breaker but it is a welcome incentive to take the bike over the cage.

Thanks for reading and happy riding.

Update:
Filled up again after only commuting back and forth to work twice and got 65.31 MPG. If we do a similar 4% reduction we get around 62 MPG.